Eleanor was the queen consort of Louis VII of France and then of Henry II of England and mother of two kings of England, Richard I and John. She established a court at Poitiers noted for its cultivation of the concept of courtly love and later helped Richard secure the throne. When he was held captive in Europe, she forestalled John's plots against him and worked to collect ransom for his release. She later facilitated the brothers' reconciliation. Who was she rumored to have poisoned?More...

After WWII, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel, with Soviet forces occupying the north and US forces occupying the south. Negotiations to reunify the two zones failed, and in 1950 the North invaded the South. US President Harry Truman ordered troops to assist South Korea, and the UN backed the mission. As UN troops advanced across North Korea, the People's Republic of China intervened, pushing them back to the original boundary at the 38th parallel. How many people were killed in the war?More...

Lumet was an American film and television director with over 50 films to his name, three of which received Academy Award nominations for Best Director. He began acting as a child, appearing in Yiddish productions and on Broadway. After serving in WWII, he began directing plays and teaching acting. He directed more than 200 television dramas before making his debut as a movie director in 1957 with the acclaimed Twelve Angry Men. For what did Lumet receive an Academy Award in 2005?More...

This festival in Tuscumbia, Alabama, honors Helen Keller and her remarkable life. Born in Tuscumbia in 1880, she was left blind, deaf, and mute by illness at the age of 19 months. Helen learned to read and write and later graduated cum laude from Radcliffe College. She became known for her writings and toured the world to promote opportunities for blind and deaf persons. Festival events include art exhibits, musical entertainment, a parade, and historic tours. At Miss Keller's birthplace, Ivy Green, visitors can see the pump at which Helen learned her first word, "water."More...

A weeklong Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sting operation spanning the US has led to the arrest of 281 pimps and the rescue of 168 children from sex traffickers. Approximately 400 law enforcement agencies in over 100 cities took part in Operation Cross Country VIII, part of the FBI's Innocence Lost National Initiative, which, since its inception in 2003, has recovered approximately 3,600 children and gained 1,450 convictions against those exploiting them.More...

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